Good news

[Sublimewind]

Got a new job..!! I'll be going back to work shortly, same contracting company I was working for(Adecco), same company as before (Dow Corning)....!!! This time, I get to work in Next Generation Solar... So once again my career takes me into an environmentally friendly area.. I'm very excited, though this will be more of a production capacity and less R&D, I'm ok with that.. For those that don't know, I've been VERY fortunate in my career... I received an Associates degree from ITT Technical Institute and since then I've done some interesting things.. I had a job before I left school doing R&D work in the area of Thin Films... Now when I say thin films, I speak of the processing that produces microchips..I started with DLC or Diamond Like Composites and DLN (Diamond Like Nano-composites) We were doing conductive, yet stick resistant coatings for things like electro-surgical blades (cut and cauterize with electric) and angioplasty "stints"... I also got to produce crystalline Diamond, in a HUGE microwave (30kw, not the cute 1kw one you have on the counter at home..lol.. process ran at 2000*C..!) Then worked a time in a plant that produced surface mount resistors and things... I finally got my big "environmental" break and got to work on a Fuel Cell program... At the time, our fuel cell was producing the most current per cubic centimeter than anyone else..(I wonder whatever happened to that project) I was a glorified screen printer, but I was using platinum ink in the process (10k for 400g..!!) There aren't really aren't any moving parts to a fuel cell, so it's all in the processing.. lol.. Then on to IBM, that was something else.. I was actually assigned to the tool that laid the last glass cap/seal over the chips exiting the production line.. That was VERY cool, but far from environmentally friendly, much less HEALTH friendly.. lol.. Fast forward a few years and some really crappy jobs later (moving in the process, TWICE) I land the job with Dow Corning... I had been working on an OLED project (Organic LED) the project had been going to 5-6yrs and I came in at the last YEAR an finished it up... Well knocked it out of the park really... considering I came in an took over in less than a month...!!!! I don't want to take credit for something I didn't do, so I want to say, I was not producing the OLEDs, no, Philips Lighting was. I putting the protective layer on them (the final layer again) to protect them from water and Oxygen (both break down the organic material) The potential for OLED lighting is SO great... It wouldn't surprise me if it took off really well in the future.. We were producing comparable light output to that of a 60w bulb, with 1/50 of the bulk, 1/20 the power. I personally ran a 2"x2" OLED panel for a week on 4AA batteries.. !!And now this... I feel very fortunate to have been able to do things that could potentially save this failing planet.. and I will continue to do so as long as I am able.. Thank you for reading... I think this is the most i've ever shared about myself, honestly... Cheers,Aaron

[BlueCrush]

Congrats, Aaron! Thank you for sharing. That is great news!

[Sublimewind]

Thank you very much Sir..!

[michiganguy]

Congrats....great to hear of someone actually getting a job these days...especially in Michigan.Just out of curiosity, what did you think of ITT Tech? My son has been thinking about that school.Thanks for any info you may have.

[Wolfman213]

Congrats Sublime!! Very good to hear that!!!

[ArcsVibe]

Quote, originally posted by Wolfman213 »Congrats Sublime!! Very good to hear that!!!X2! Congrats very happy for you

[bodhi_tree777]

good news, indeed. Congrats man.

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by michiganguy »Congrats....great to hear of someone actually getting a job these days...especially in Michigan.Just out of curiosity, what did you think of ITT Tech? My son has been thinking about that school.Thanks for any info you may have.First, thanks everyone... Yeah, Mi is scary.. I wasn't too very worried, but, it's a difficult time... I'm lucky I got my foot in the door over there, made some great friends and colleagues.. I'm not even interviewing, not necessary.. lol.. Now AFA ITT Tech.... Well, things were different when I went, I actually got an electronics degree, not an IT degree... It changed shortly after to gear people towards the new world of IT... Everything is plug and play these days, so actual "technicians" are becoming fewer and fewer... It was great, difficult, but great... I worked full time and went to school every day from 6-10pm 5 nights a week... It destroyed my life for the better, I tell people.. lol.. If your son can handle NOT having a life, it's an option... If you(he) can afford him not working, even better... but it consumes your life otherwise... FOR THE BETTER... I've done some great things with my degree, but I can't say anything about the newer programs Sir, sorry...

[michiganguy]

thanks for the info...I'll pass it on to son

[Kamikaze]

glad to hear the good news! We focus on the bad so often that it's good to hear the good too!

[808 Vibes]

CONGRATS!! I'm so happy for you! I've started to search again; I have 2 jobs (50+hr. week; who here doesn't have 2 or 3 jobs) and even with company-paid medical, my medical expenses not covered are draining my finances. I don't want to change jobs, but I need to.

[tribalman]

wow, seems like you got a good ITT campus. the one i graduated from was.... lacking. 1/2 of the labs didnt' work and required myself and another student to try and find work-arounds to get working. teachers couldn't get them to work either. XD plus there were a few courses that were so outdated the teacher would just make up their own course material.grats on finishing and getting a good job. (i'm still looking for one ; ; ) i hope the job works out very well for you.michiganguy, if you look at the costs between a 4 year school and a 4 year ITT attendance, i would say go for a 4 year. the cost is about the same, and with the 4 year your son will have the school's name to back up the degree. which do you think sounds better, University of Illinois or ITT Technical Institute? i think ITT is an ok place to start, but go somewhere else for a bachelors. i can't wait to attend my new school come fall.

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by tribalman »wow, seems like you got a good ITT campus. the one i graduated from was.... lacking. 1/2 of the labs didnt' work and required myself and another student to try and find work-arounds to get working. teachers couldn't get them to work either. XD plus there were a few courses that were so outdated the teacher would just make up their own course material.grats on finishing and getting a good job. (i'm still looking for one ; ; ) i hope the job works out very well for you.michiganguy, if you look at the costs between a 4 year school and a 4 year ITT attendance, i would say go for a 4 year. the cost is about the same, and with the 4 year your son will have the school's name to back up the degree. which do you think sounds better, University of Illinois or ITT Technical Institute? i think ITT is an ok place to start, but go somewhere else for a bachelors. i can't wait to attend my new school come fall.Wow, sorry to hear that... My campus was new, only one class had passed through before us, so I don't know, that was also 11yrs ago.. So, hard to say.. I do know what you are saying about having the school names backing, but in my technical career, it doesn't seem to have made much difference... In the eyes of a technical employer, it seems to me the school matters very little, but the experience backing that seems to matter more.. In the beginning, if I hadn't had a job right out of school, I don't know how my career would have gone.. Now, my schooling matters very little, I went to school for electronics (and worked a bench doing car audio repair, which was great)... and now I'm doing thin films... It "relates" to electronics, but very little of my schooling is getting used... My degree says I'm easily trained, now... lol... I was a C.E.T. (certified electronics tech) at one point as well... The one teacher I was sorta friends with told me that the cert means more than the degree... He said to me "The degree says you retained enough to pass the tests, the certification says you actually learned something enough to be able to use it.."... lol..

[ColonelPanic]

Congrats on finding a job! It's a hard feat in this economy (it's horrible here, and I can't even begin to imagine how much worse it is in Michigan.) It sounds like a fascinating time to work with clean energy type stuff! Fellow ITT alum here too (associates in electronics engineering technology.) I started school and ended up going through a really rough patch in my life, I did ok the first quarter but bombed bigtimein the second. Dropped out, life got worse, but later came to my senses. I already spent tons of money that would go to waste (since their credits don't transfer to other schools - not sure if that's changed by now.) I went back, repeated the quarter and graduated with average grades. If I could do it again, i'd probably go the 4 year route especially for the cost involved. It was originally going to cost me $19k but cost $30k after my stupidity. I probably could have got a better degree from a "real" college for that dough.But it did get me in the door eventually, I got a job a month after graduation with the help of their placement. Albeit in IT, not electronics. I still to this day have not worked in the field of electronics.

[lovemyraffe]

Congrats! That is awesome! Finding work in this economy is tough. I too just started a new job this week.

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »Congrats on finding a job! It's a hard feat in this economy (it's horrible here, and I can't even begin to imagine how much worse it is in Michigan.) It sounds like a fascinating time to work with clean energy type stuff! Fellow ITT alum here too (associates in electronics engineering technology.) I started school and ended up going through a really rough patch in my life, I did ok the first quarter but bombed bigtimein the second. Dropped out, life got worse, but later came to my senses. I already spent tons of money that would go to waste (since their credits don't transfer to other schools - not sure if that's changed by now.) I went back, repeated the quarter and graduated with average grades. If I could do it again, i'd probably go the 4 year route especially for the cost involved. It was originally going to cost me $19k but cost $30k after my stupidity. I probably could have got a better degree from a "real" college for that dough.But it did get me in the door eventually, I got a job a month after graduation with the help of their placement. Albeit in IT, not electronics. I still to this day have not worked in the field of electronics. Thanks... I always tell people that ITT ruined my life, for the better.. While a 4yr school would have been nice, I needed focus, not electives, campus and all... We got other than electronics courses, but it's not like we where loaded down with them... That worked good for me... The time spent, either at work or at school, or doing homework, left little time for anything else and weekends where spent doing anything I missed during the week.. So friends went away... they were all deadbeats anyway, as was I, which is why I made the call...

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by HawaiiPontiacLover »CONGRATS!! I'm so happy for you! I've started to search again; I have 2 jobs (50+hr. week; who here doesn't have 2 or 3 jobs) and even with company-paid medical, my medical expenses not covered are draining my finances. I don't want to change jobs, but I need to. Thanks!I wish there was something you could do... I'm sure options are scarce there though... Worse than here even...

[808 Vibes]

Yeah, no options. At least you guys get to drive to neighboring states LOL

[AKLGT]

Quote, originally posted by HawaiiPontiacLover »Yeah, no options. At least you guys get to drive to neighboring states LOLLOL. I hear you on that! luckily for us, Mav's got a great job, doing extremely well and I have my business which has its ups and downs. I'm doing all I can to not have to find a real job (as I call it), even though no medical (only self paid/sponsored) benefits, the overall benefits of making my own choices and decisions, being my own boss outweigh most of the down side. Sometimes, I do wish I could just go to work and then leave, not think about it, however the tax benefits of having my own business are awesome (most of the time) almost make up for it. I don't think I would make a good employee these days, especially if I had to report to someone or deal with micro management. Congrats on the new contract!

[Sublimewind]

Thanks Hope... Yeah, we all would like to live the dream of not having a boss, and some pull it off rather well... But most just can't and in this economy, I hope you don't NEED to get a job soon Hope..